Several types of real-time feedback for power toothbrushes exist. For example, known types of real-time feedback include brushing force (e.g., whether the user is using too much force), gum detection (e.g., whether the user is brushing too much over gums), and plaque sensing (e.g., whether the plaque has been removed from a particular area). These methods and techniques are intended to give feedback immediately to a user (e.g., by providing an audible signal or other feedback) in real-time when a certain situation or problem occurs.
However, toothbrush users often struggle with processing real-time feedback, especially when they are focused on the primary activity of brushing. In addition, when multiple real-time feedback systems are combined in a single toothbrush, the real-time feedback may become too complex for a user to process. For example, hearing one type of audible signal indicating time to move brushing to a different area of the mouth, and a second for excessive brushing force, while also hearing the same or another type of audible signal indicating plaque level, may be confusing and ultimately ignored by the user when brushing.
Moreover, since many users brush their teeth in the morning (e.g., just after waking, when they are sleepy) or in the evening (e.g., just before going to bed, when they are tired), information from past brushing sessions is often forgotten. Further, real-time feedback does not take into account the condition of the user's oral hygiene at the start of a brushing session. Essentially, each brushing session begins with “a blank slate” instead of utilizing information from prior brushing sessions.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for systems and methods for providing useful feedback to improve a user's brushing behavior and/or oral hygiene.